Funding Windows of the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation
The Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTF) supports environmental conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable development in Bhutan through four dedicated funding windows:
- Large Grants Window
- Small Grants Window
- Advocacy Grants Window
- Program-Related Investments (PRI) Window
These funding windows are designed to support a wide range of stakeholders from communities and civil society to government agencies and private sector actors at different scales and with different financing approaches.
All projects financed through BTF’s endowment resources must comply with the Fund’s Environmental, Social, Gender, and other relevant safeguards. Proposals are expected to demonstrate responsible environmental management, social inclusion, and gender responsiveness.
To ensure transparency and accountability:
- All funded projects are monitored by the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Unit of the BTF Secretariat
- Projects are subject to audit by the Internal Audit Unit or external auditors
- Periodic reporting and compliance reviews are mandatory for all funding windows
Small Grants Window
The Small Grants Window is designed to support small-scale, innovative, and community-based initiatives that address immediate environmental challenges while promoting climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and biodiversity conservation in Bhutan.
The Small Grants Window encourages practical and impactful initiatives from local communities, civil society organizations, youth groups, academic institutions, government agencies, and individuals working towards sustainable environmental outcomes.
- Up to Nu. 1.0 million per project
- Maximum duration: 18 months
- Annual allocation: up to Nu. 6.0 million
Government agencies, CSOs, CBOs, academic institutions, youth groups, private sector entities, and individuals.
Small Grant proposals are reviewed on a quarterly basis and undergo a transparent screening and evaluation process.
Step 1: Submission
The Small Grants Window remains open throughout the year, and applicants may submit proposals at any time using the prescribed Small Grant Proposal Template.
Completed proposals should be submitted electronically to: info@bhutantrustfund.bt
Applicants submit the completed Small Grant Proposal Template along with the required supporting documents. (Small Grant Proposal Template)
Step 2: Quarterly Review (SGSC)
The proposals are reviewed by the Small Grant Screening Committee (SGSC), which comprises Chiefs from the Services under the BTF Secretariat, along with a member from the Independent Technical Advisory Panel (ITAP) to ensure objective and technical assessment.
Step 3: Selection & Notification
Proposals are assessed based on established screening criteria, including relevance, feasibility, environmental impact, sustainability, and budget justification. Applicants are informed of the outcome following the review process.
Step 4: Agreement Signing
Selected applicants are invited to the BTF Secretariat to sign the Small Grant Funding Agreement prior to project implementation.
Step 5: Fund Release
Upon signing of the Funding Agreement, project partners may request the first tranche payment of up to 80% of the approved project budget.
Step 6: Final Payment
The remaining 20% of the approved grant amount is released upon submission of:
- Project Completion Report (PCR)
- Original expenditure invoices and supporting documents
- Any additional reports or deliverables required by the BTF Secretariat
The BTF Secretariat encourages innovative, community-driven, and results-oriented proposals that contribute to Bhutan’s environmental sustainability and climate resilience goals.